Gift of trees from America

3:00pm Sunday 10th February 2013 in Local News

A FORMER Southend man who emigrated to America 16 years ago has donated more than a dozen trees to the borough.

David Abrey, 46, now lives in Kansas but his parents still live in South Avenue, Southend where he grew up.

He is the third generation of the Abrey family from Southchurch.

Fourteen trees have now been planted in the communal front gardens of South Essex Homes properties at Christchurch Court and Nursery Place. Residents were consulted, and welcomed the scheme.

Mr Abrey, who attended Sacred Heart School in Southend, said: “I’ve lived in Kansas City since 1997 with my American wife and two children, but I wanted to give something back to my home town which I visit every year.

“I was inspired to plant trees by the Greek proverb: ‘A society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.’

“Hopefully this might encourage others to follow suit too and help the environment in Southend.”

He plans to donate more trees to Southend every year.

Derek Jarvis, Tory councillor responsible for culture an tourism at Southend Council, said: “We are extremely grateful to Mr Abrey for this most kind and welcome gift.

“It is especially generous from someone who lives so far away, and yet is so ready to help enhance our borough for the benefit of all our residents and visitors.

“Mr Abrey has set a wonderful example, and if anyone else would like to donate a tree, shrub or bench in Southend, we would love to hear from them.”

If anyone wants to donate trees, they can contact the council on 01702 215000 or www.southend.gov.uk/donateatree

Comments (11)

3:04pm Sun 10 Feb 13

boyracer21 says...

Donating a tree. Ive never heard of anything so pathetic. Whats next, donating an apple from the tree?
Donating a tree. Ive never heard of anything so pathetic. Whats next, donating an apple from the tree? boyracer21

3:37pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Cosmo Spring says...

I hope they were native, British grown trees what with all the ash dieback and the like from imported trees....
I hope they were native, British grown trees what with all the ash dieback and the like from imported trees.... Cosmo Spring

3:42pm Sun 10 Feb 13

emcee says...

It is a good idea. However, there are fewer and fewer places to plant them and I do not trust the council to not remove them again, for some hairbrained scheme, once they have matured.
It is a good idea. However, there are fewer and fewer places to plant them and I do not trust the council to not remove them again, for some hairbrained scheme, once they have matured. emcee

4:06pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Thames Gateway says...

A generous gesture from Mr Abrey, hope he does get the chance to sit in the shade of some of them in years to come.
A generous gesture from Mr Abrey, hope he does get the chance to sit in the shade of some of them in years to come. Thames Gateway

5:51pm Sun 10 Feb 13

jolllyboy says...

It needs more than 12 to replace trees that have been taken out by the council and NOT replaced. they say that they are but they are not as in certain cases they dont have to.
It needs more than 12 to replace trees that have been taken out by the council and NOT replaced. they say that they are but they are not as in certain cases they dont have to. jolllyboy

6:23pm Sun 10 Feb 13

siddymint says...

12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park .
Check SKIPP web site
12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park . Check SKIPP web site siddymint

9:57pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Diannah says...

Cosmo Spring wrote:
I hope they were native, British grown trees what with all the ash dieback and the like from imported trees....
My thoughts exactly. Don't want any overseas diseases wiping out our flora or fauna!
[quote][p][bold]Cosmo Spring[/bold] wrote: I hope they were native, British grown trees what with all the ash dieback and the like from imported trees....[/p][/quote]My thoughts exactly. Don't want any overseas diseases wiping out our flora or fauna! Diannah

11:04pm Sun 10 Feb 13

Joe Wildman-Clark says...

siddymint wrote:
12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park .
Check SKIPP web site
I saw the bit that claims "hundreds of trees" but could not see where it said 1000.

Until anything is officially is announced who do you believe the Council or a protest group known for hugging trees.

How can you call the cutting down of trees “murder” and “genocide”

Not my words…

http://www.skipp-sax
onking.org/archive/5
5-arboreal-genocide-
continues

http://www.skipp-sax
onking.org/archive/3
7-the-last-majestic-
plane-tree-on-vic-ci
rcus-roundabout-slau
ghtered

Murder:
The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another.

Genocide:
The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation.

Both words that should not be used in the cutting down of a few trees just take a look at the REAL genocide’s that are happening throughout the world and take a moment to think a human life or a tree what is more tragic to loose, something that can be replaced or something that can never be replaced.

It is wrong to reduce to power of just what genocide and murder means to make countless human lives on par with a tree.
[quote][p][bold]siddymint[/bold] wrote: 12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park . Check SKIPP web site[/p][/quote]I saw the bit that claims "hundreds of trees" but could not see where it said 1000. Until anything is officially is announced who do you believe the Council or a protest group known for hugging trees. How can you call the cutting down of trees “murder” and “genocide” Not my words… http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/5 5-arboreal-genocide- continues http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/3 7-the-last-majestic- plane-tree-on-vic-ci rcus-roundabout-slau ghtered Murder: The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Both words that should not be used in the cutting down of a few trees just take a look at the REAL genocide’s that are happening throughout the world and take a moment to think a human life or a tree what is more tragic to loose, something that can be replaced or something that can never be replaced. It is wrong to reduce to power of just what genocide and murder means to make countless human lives on par with a tree. Joe Wildman-Clark

9:40am Mon 11 Feb 13

DogsMessInLeigh says...

A decent gesture and shows where his roots are.
A decent gesture and shows where his roots are. DogsMessInLeigh

8:25pm Mon 11 Feb 13

EssexBoy1968 says...

Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
siddymint wrote: 12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park . Check SKIPP web site
I saw the bit that claims "hundreds of trees" but could not see where it said 1000. Until anything is officially is announced who do you believe the Council or a protest group known for hugging trees. How can you call the cutting down of trees “murder” and “genocide” Not my words… http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/5 5-arboreal-genocide- continues http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/3 7-the-last-majestic- plane-tree-on-vic-ci rcus-roundabout-slau ghtered Murder: The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Both words that should not be used in the cutting down of a few trees just take a look at the REAL genocide’s that are happening throughout the world and take a moment to think a human life or a tree what is more tragic to loose, something that can be replaced or something that can never be replaced. It is wrong to reduce to power of just what genocide and murder means to make countless human lives on par with a tree.
Good on you Mr Abrey, I wonder what secondary school you went to (Sacred Heart is a RC Primary School).
So SKIPP liken the cutting down of trees to genocide do they? I think it's obvious they have no real understanding of what they say - & cannot believe any of them have direct experience of genocide.
Anyway, what do trees (anywhere) have to do with the exhibiting of Saxon atrefacts in a park?
[quote][p][bold]Joe Wildman-Clark[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]siddymint[/bold] wrote: 12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park . Check SKIPP web site[/p][/quote]I saw the bit that claims "hundreds of trees" but could not see where it said 1000. Until anything is officially is announced who do you believe the Council or a protest group known for hugging trees. How can you call the cutting down of trees “murder” and “genocide” Not my words… http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/5 5-arboreal-genocide- continues http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/3 7-the-last-majestic- plane-tree-on-vic-ci rcus-roundabout-slau ghtered Murder: The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Both words that should not be used in the cutting down of a few trees just take a look at the REAL genocide’s that are happening throughout the world and take a moment to think a human life or a tree what is more tragic to loose, something that can be replaced or something that can never be replaced. It is wrong to reduce to power of just what genocide and murder means to make countless human lives on par with a tree.[/p][/quote]Good on you Mr Abrey, I wonder what secondary school you went to (Sacred Heart is a RC Primary School). So SKIPP liken the cutting down of trees to genocide do they? I think it's obvious they have no real understanding of what they say - & cannot believe any of them have direct experience of genocide. Anyway, what do trees (anywhere) have to do with the exhibiting of Saxon atrefacts in a park? EssexBoy1968

11:08pm Mon 11 Feb 13

Joe Wildman-Clark says...

EssexBoy1968 wrote:
Joe Wildman-Clark wrote:
siddymint wrote: 12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park . Check SKIPP web site
I saw the bit that claims "hundreds of trees" but could not see where it said 1000. Until anything is officially is announced who do you believe the Council or a protest group known for hugging trees. How can you call the cutting down of trees “murder” and “genocide” Not my words… http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/5 5-arboreal-genocide- continues http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/3 7-the-last-majestic- plane-tree-on-vic-ci rcus-roundabout-slau ghtered Murder: The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Both words that should not be used in the cutting down of a few trees just take a look at the REAL genocide’s that are happening throughout the world and take a moment to think a human life or a tree what is more tragic to loose, something that can be replaced or something that can never be replaced. It is wrong to reduce to power of just what genocide and murder means to make countless human lives on par with a tree.
Good on you Mr Abrey, I wonder what secondary school you went to (Sacred Heart is a RC Primary School).
So SKIPP liken the cutting down of trees to genocide do they? I think it's obvious they have no real understanding of what they say - & cannot believe any of them have direct experience of genocide.
Anyway, what do trees (anywhere) have to do with the exhibiting of Saxon atrefacts in a park?
It leaves a horrible taste in the mouth to see a Southend based group actually tie the chopping down of trees in with the atrocities we have seen unfold in Darfur and the ongoing actions in Syria, to say an oppressed people are no more important than a tree well can’t really say what I think of such statements.

A football, a soft toy and a handful of sweets brings a smile; a bottle of water saves a life for just another day.

Not going into details but just a day out there will change you for the rest of your life.
[quote][p][bold]EssexBoy1968[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]Joe Wildman-Clark[/bold] wrote: [quote][p][bold]siddymint[/bold] wrote: 12 trees in and 1,000 out in Belfairs park . Check SKIPP web site[/p][/quote]I saw the bit that claims "hundreds of trees" but could not see where it said 1000. Until anything is officially is announced who do you believe the Council or a protest group known for hugging trees. How can you call the cutting down of trees “murder” and “genocide” Not my words… http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/5 5-arboreal-genocide- continues http://www.skipp-sax onking.org/archive/3 7-the-last-majestic- plane-tree-on-vic-ci rcus-roundabout-slau ghtered Murder: The unlawful premeditated killing of one human being by another. Genocide: The deliberate killing of a large group of people, esp. those of a particular ethnic group or nation. Both words that should not be used in the cutting down of a few trees just take a look at the REAL genocide’s that are happening throughout the world and take a moment to think a human life or a tree what is more tragic to loose, something that can be replaced or something that can never be replaced. It is wrong to reduce to power of just what genocide and murder means to make countless human lives on par with a tree.[/p][/quote]Good on you Mr Abrey, I wonder what secondary school you went to (Sacred Heart is a RC Primary School). So SKIPP liken the cutting down of trees to genocide do they? I think it's obvious they have no real understanding of what they say - & cannot believe any of them have direct experience of genocide. Anyway, what do trees (anywhere) have to do with the exhibiting of Saxon atrefacts in a park?[/p][/quote]It leaves a horrible taste in the mouth to see a Southend based group actually tie the chopping down of trees in with the atrocities we have seen unfold in Darfur and the ongoing actions in Syria, to say an oppressed people are no more important than a tree well can’t really say what I think of such statements. A football, a soft toy and a handful of sweets brings a smile; a bottle of water saves a life for just another day. Not going into details but just a day out there will change you for the rest of your life. Joe Wildman-Clark

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